Food scientist Hamed Faridi describes his role at spice maker McCormick & Co. as the "voice of science."
As chief science officer for the Sparks company, Faridi uses that voice to tout the health benefits of herbs and spices.
Ten years ago, he persuaded McCormick executives to let him found the McCormick Science Institute to fund studies on the health benefits of herbs and spices. While funded by McCormick, the institute has an independent advisory panel and requires those it funds to submit findings to scientific journals for publication.
More than 30 clinical trials funded by the institute have shown benefits such as how spices and herbs can increase flavor while partially replacing salt, sugar and fat in meals, findings that are showing up as dietary recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other groups.
"That is probably one of the things I consider my legacy, that I was part of the team that created that science" behind flavor's role in promoting healthier eating, Faridi said from his office at McCormick's Technical Innovation Center in Hunt Valley.
On a shelf above his desk, he has lined up some of his favorite spices, including cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, ginger and basil.
A naturalized Iranian-American, Faridi became interested in food science as a teenager after reading a book on the medicinal plants of Iran. He was awarded the book by Iran's education minister after rising to the top of his 10th-grade Jesuit high school class.
He went on to study and then teach food science at universities in Iran and in the U.S., and worked on a science-based approach to alleviating nutritional deficiencies in Iran before going to work in research and development for Nabisco in 1983. There, he helped create the popular low-fat line of SnackWell's crackers and cookies.
He joined McCormick in 1997 as head of research and development, a department of about 400 people that creates new products at the Hunt Valley hub and at more than a dozen labs around the world. As chief science officer since 2011, he leads a global team of scientists.
Faridi's work was recognized in May when he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor at Ellis Island, N.Y. The award, established in 1986 by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, recognizes the contributions of immigrants and their children to the United States in either their fields or national service.
In an essay submitted for the medal, Faridi explained his "destiny" as developing "the scientific foundation for supporting public policy changes aimed at tackling the intractable challenge of improving eating habits and nutrition."
All the evidence in the world isn't enough to change people's behavior when it comes to healthier eating, he said. People rarely stick to weight-loss diets, he noted, if they don't like the food.
"If it's not delicious, not good, you cannot force people to eat it," Faridi said. "But by making it delicious, you have a chance to impact that behavior."
Hamed Faridi
Title: Chief science officer, McCormick & Co.
Age: 69
Birthplace: Arak, Iran
Residence: Hunt Valley
Education: Ph.D, food science; MBA, management
Family: Married for 37 years to Afsanah. Son Michael, daughter-in-law Keely and 1-year-old granddaughter Sienna
Hobbies/interests: Gardening, nature walking, American history, wine tours